Cooking terminology can be a bit of confusing at times. With that in mind, I will try to put some of the more unfamiliar terms I use in my recipes on this page. Hopefully, this will help with understanding the recipe and encourage you to try something new. This is certainly not an exhaustive guide, that would take more time and motivation than I have at the moment. There are all sorts of good references out there and a Google search of any unfamiliar term should get you the information you need if it isn't here.

The terms:

Bain Marie

Often unfortunately called a "double-boiler". This is a device where one pot or bowl with the food item is suspended over another pot or bowl of hot (NOT BOILING) water. This is generally used for gently heating a sauce that contains eggs and may curdle (such as Hollandaise) or for melting chocolate.

Julienne

A cut of a food item that is long and thin like a match stick or a French fry.

Mandoline

A special slicing device with a fixed blade positioned in an inclined plane. Food is drawn across the plane and blade to make uniform slices. The thickness of cut is usually adjustable and in some models, other types of blades can be fitted to make specialty waffle and julienne cuts.

On the Bias

A diagonal cut across a food item typically used on long, thin vegetables such as celery or carrots.

Saute

To cook something with a small amount of fat over high heat in order to brown the items. It is important to make sure the pan is not crowded with food so the food can cook properly and brown evenly.

Simmer

Simmering is heating a liquid to just below the point where it is boiling and maintaining it there. There should be little to no formation of bubbles, what bubbles do form should be very small. This is a relatively gentle method of cooking and is often the desired level of heat for any sort of thick sauce or soup that may be scorched by more vigorous heating.

Sweat

To cook vegetables with a small amount of fat and some salt in order to draw some of the water out of them and soften them. This is typically done over medium heat unlike a saute which is done over high heat in order to brown the items.

Page Last modified: March 31 2006 09:27:52.